I have the following CMakeLists.txt:
cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.0.0)
project(FlaAlgoTests)
...
include_directories("../lib")
...
add_executable(
flamenco_algorithms_anomaly_stiction_tests
...
)
The flamenco_algorithms_anomaly_stiction_tests executable generates a .xml file when it is complete.
I would like to run a process (I guess using ADD_CUSTOM_COMMAND?) after this executable is run, which converts that xml file to an html file.
How can I do this?
The short answer is yes; you can use ADD_CUSTOM_COMMAND to first execute your built executable (flamenco_stiction_tests.exe), and second to run the additional process (my_additional_process.exe). Try something like this:
add_custom_command(TARGET flamenco_algorithms_anomaly_stiction_tests POST_BUILD
COMMAND flamenco_stiction_tests.exe
COMMAND my_additional_process.exe my_generated_file.xml
WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/Debug
COMMENT "Running built executable and additional process..."
)
Per the CMake documentation, these will be executed in order. You may also configure a script to run after the executable is built instead, using a combination of configure_file() and add_custom_command. Guaranteeing your generated file is available for the second process may be easier and safer that way.
Related
Part of my source code is generated by a tool which is also built under our main project with a add_subdirectory. We execute this tool with a execute_process command. Clearly, if the tool is not built before we reach the execute_process statement it will fail.
I use a GLOB (file(GLOB...)) to find the source files generated. I do this because it is not possible to know beforehand how many files are generated, neither their names.
How do I force cmake to wait for the subproject to be compiled before the execute process? I would need something like a DEPENDS property for the execute_process but this option is not available.
# This subproject will source generator the tool
add_subdirectory(generator)
# I need something like: wait_for(generator)
execute_process(COMMAND generator ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src)
file(GLOB GeneratedSources ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src/*.cpp)
add_executable(mainprject.exe ${ProcessorSourceFiles}
Command execute_process executes its COMMAND immediately, at configuration stage. So it cannot be arranged after the executable is created with add_executable command: that executable will be built only at build stage.
You need to build subproject at configuration stage too. E.g. with
execute_process(COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND}
-S ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/generator
-B ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/generator
-G ${CMAKE_GENERATOR}
)
execute_process(COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND}
--build ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/generator
)
The first command invokes cmake for configure the 'generator' project, located under ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/generator directory. With -G option we use for subproject the same CMake generator, as one used for the main project.
The second command builds that project, so it produces generator executable.
After generator executable is created, you may use it for your project:
execute_process(COMMAND ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/generator/<...>/generator ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src)
Here you need to pass absolute path to the generator executable as the first parameter to COMMAND: CMake no longer have generator executable target, so it won't substitute its path automatically.
You will need to model this with target dependencies. The tool "generator" should be a cmake target. In that case use add_custom_target instead of execute_process somthing like this:
add_custom_target(generate_sources ALL COMMAND generator ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src))
Then add a target dependency to "generator" using add_dependencies:
add_dependencies(generate_sources generator)
This will make sure your target "generate_sources", which runs the tool will only run during build after the target "generator" has been compiled.
The following is false, see the comments for more info:
Use add_dependencies to add a dependency from "mainproject.exe" to "generate_sources". Now this I have never tested, so take with a grain of salt: With CMake more recent than version 3.12, according to the entry on file, you should then be able to change your file command to:
file(GLOB GeneratedSources CONFIGURE_DEPENDS ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src/*.cpp)
Which I interpret as this will re-glob the files during build if the directory changes.
I'm working with a code generator that produces C++ and a CMakeLists.txt file, unfortunately I cannot use this in my main CMakeLists.txt file for testing purposes.
For example you have the following CMakeLists.txt file:
project(SomeProject CXX C)
add_custom_command(OUTPUT ${SRCS}
COMMAND ${CODEGEN_CLI_PATH} -i "${INPUT}" -o "${OUT}"
COMMENT "Generating sources"
WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}
VERBATIM
)
add_custom_target(CODEGEN
DEPENDS
${SRCS}
)
# Needs to be executed after the custom command
add_subdirectory(${GENERATED_CMAKE_LISTS_LOCATION})
Is it possible to use functions such as add_subdirectory only after you execute custom commands for a particular target, such as CODEGEN?
I've already tried to execute it by adding an extra line to the existing custom command:
COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -D DIR=${GENERATED_CMAKE_LISTS_LOCATION} -P add_subdirectories.cmake
Unfortuantly this doesn't work because it isn't allowed to execute functions like add_subdirectory in script mode.
Neither I can manage to call custom made functions (that are executing add_subdirectory) from add_custom_command that are located in the same file.
Nope, it is not possible. The add_subdirectory command is run during configuration step, while CODEGEN is a target that runs during build.
You seem to be doing something wrong, so the only advice I can give you is to use execute_process command to run commands you need. The execute_process command is executed during configuration stage, so it will be able to generate files you need before add_subdirectory.
But again, please describe your problem, why do you want CMake to do that.
I have a huge fixed unsigned char array that I compiled into a static library. The way I work around it is by:
if(NOT EXISTS ${PATH_TO_FOLDER}/smeagol.a)
add_subdirectory(smeagol)
endif()
I'm still looking for a nicer kung-fu way to do it using cmake. I feel that its out there, and I will update this answer once i find it.
I am having the following directory structure:
/CMakeLists.txt
/component-a/CMakeLists.txt
/...
/component-b/CMakeLists.txt
/...
/doc/CMakeLists.txt
/create-doc.sh
The shell script create-doc.sh creates a documentation file (doc.pdf). How can I use CMake to execute this shell script at build time and copy the file doc.pdf to the build directory?
I tried it by using add_custom_command in the CMakeLists.txt file inside the directory doc:
add_custom_command ( OUTPUT doc.pdf
COMMAND ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/create-doc.sh
WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/)
Unfortunately the command is never run.
I also tried execute_process:
execute_process ( COMMAND ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/create-doc.sh
WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/ )
Now the script is executed during the configuration phase, but not at build time.
You got almost there with add_custom_command. This is indeed the correct way to tell CMake how to generate a file. However, CMake will only run that when something depends on that file.
When, as in your case, the file itself is the end product and is not used any further by subsequent build steps, the usual approach is to create a custom target to drive the relevant custom command(s):
add_custom_target(
BuildDocs ALL
DEPENDS doc.pdf
)
This (custom target driver for custom commands) is a very common idiom in CMake.
You can of course play around with arguments for add_custom_target (e.g. ALL, COMMENT) as it suits you.
Given the following minimal example.
cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 2.8)
project(include_test)
add_custom_command(OUTPUT OtherCMakeLists.txt
COMMAND "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/create_other_cmakelists")
add_custom_target(do_something DEPENDS OtherCMakeLists.txt)
What do_something should do here is first create OtherCMakeLists.txt. Now, let's assume that do_something has to do something else afterwards, e.g. compiling some code. I'd like that when the targets from something else are executed, the CMakeLists.txt will behave as if OtherCMakeLists.txt was included with include.
Is this possible?
As an example why this could be useful: OtherCMakeLists.txt might add some compiler flags that have influence on further compiling.
To my knowledge, it is not possible to generate CMakeLists.txt file with a custom target/command and use include CMake command with generated CMakeLists.txt
The problem is that the include command is called at so-called "Configuration time" (when cmake executable tries to parse all CMakeLists.txt), but the generation of file (CMakeLists.txt) is performed at "Build time" (when make command is invoked on generated build system)
add_custom_command has 2 different signatures:
add_custom_command(OUTPUT ...) will be executed at build time, too late to apply rules from a generated CMakeLists.txt generated.
add_custom_command(TARGET ...) to attach a specific command to a target. This command can be run on PRE_BUILD, PRE_LINK or POST_BUILD. Probably not what you want to achieve...
If you are trying to add some dynamic to your compile process, adding custom commands or target may not be your best option.
You should try to read doc for some other CMake commands that can be helpful in your case:
configure_file() that can process a file (OtherCMakeLists.txt.in) into another file (OtherCMakeLists.txt) replacing variables by their values. This is achieved at configuration time
execute_process() to run a command a configuration time (thx to #ComicSansMS)
set_target_properties() to set some compiler or link flags to a specific target depending on some conditions
The list of properties you can set on targets
our system uses some xml files to generate some code. So I've created a custom command to scan and parse these files, and generate stuff as accorded. This is what I did:
file(GLOB BEAN_XML_FILES "../../*.xml")
add_custom_command(TARGET communication PRE_BUILD
COMMAND python
ARGS bean_maker.py --input-directory ${SOURCE_DIR}/docs/beans --output-directory ${SOURCE_DIR}/beans
WORKING_DIRECTORY ${SOURCE_DIR}/tools/bean_maker
COMMENT "Running bean maker..."
DEPENDS ${BEAN_XML_FILES})
The problem is that add_custom_command only runs when I run cmake, even when I modified some xml inside the folder.
How could I do this to run when changes are made to the files?
Use the add_custom_command signature for adding a custom command to produce output files.
add_custom_command(OUTPUT ${GENERATED_SOURCE_FILES}
COMMAND command1 [ARGS] [args1...]
DEPENDS ${BEAN_XML_FILES})
At build time, the command will execute if the generated files are older than the files they depend on.
The issue is that your custom command only runs when the target needs to be compiled. You need to make CMake thing that the target needs to be recompiled each time you modify one of those xml files.
Here are two options:
Set a decadency that always is changing ( system time, incrementing variable )
Create a second custom command that writes out the latest modified time of all the xml files to a file in your build directory. Depend on that file and you should only see your target recompile after an xml file is changed.